No Sign Of Slowdown In China's Quest For University Glory

The National University of Singapore sign. (Photo by: Jeff Greenberg/UIG via Getty Images)

China is well on its way to becoming the dominant higher education power in Asia, as its rapid emergence into the market shows no sign of slowing down.

University rankings published today show China is squeezing its Asian competitors and is on track to challenge the traditional hegemony of the West.

China now has almost one in five of Asia’s best universities, with several of its institutions making strong gains, often at the expense of traditional rivals including Japan, South Korea and Taiwan.

The Asia University Rankings, published by Times Higher Education, features seven Chinese universities in the top 20, plus five from Hong Kong. Hong Kong, a special administrative region of China, also has the most institutions in the top 10 - three - for the first time.

China’s success is a result of a 20-year commitment to raise standards in higher education, according to rankings editor Phil Baty.

‘China’s performance in THE rankings consistently improves year-on-year and 2018 is no exception,’ he said. ‘The results show that more than two decades of focused investment in excellence is paying off.’

While the National University of Singapore holds onto the top spot, China’s rise has come means other Asian states have seen their leading institutions slip down the rankings.

Although Japan still has more universities in the top 350 than China - 89 compared with China’s 63 - it is China’s representatives that are on the upward curve.

East Asia as a whole has cemented its position as the dominant region, home to three fifths of the top 350 universities, although there are some losers. South Korea’s fortunes seem to be waning, while Taiwan has suffered from an aging population and an over-supply of higher education, according to Baty.

‘East Asian countries outside of China will need to work hard to stand out among the heavy competition in the world’s largest continent.’ he added.

The top 10 Asian universities (with last year’s positions in brackets) are:

Source: Times Higher Education University Rankings 2018. You can view the full list here.

But while the rankings are good news for East Asia, South Asia has fared less well. Although it is home to more universities in the top 350, it is struggling in the face of competition from both East and Southeast Asia, according to Baty.

While India has 42 entries in the top 350, up from 33 last year, several of its institutions appear to have declined, he said. ‘South Asia will need to work hard to stand out,’ he said.

But while dominating the Asian higher education scene is a medium-term goal for China, the long-term aim must be to challenge and perhaps supplant the Western powerhouses.

As students become increasingly mobile, and higher education increasingly becomes a global marketplace, this is surely more than just a pipe dream.

Follow me on Twitter @nsdmorrison

I’m a freelance journalist specializing in education. My career so far has taken in regional and national newspapers and magazines, including Forbes, The Daily Telegraph and the Guardian. A lot has changed since I started covering education as a wide-eyed junior reporter in ...